4 Speed Shifter Arm Question

[slopokpete]

I?m restoring a ?57 Ranchero.. It?s powered with a 390 and has a top loader four speed.
Has anybody else been down this road and am I going to have interference problems with any Hurst shifter arm and the bench seat?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff

[lalessi1]

I have an FE, toploader, Hurst shifter and a bench seat. I can give you specifics on what you need (I tried several variations), it is on the website somewhere... Which Toploader do you have? Look at David Kee Toploaders and find your tailhousing.

http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/tailhousingid.htm

[mustang6984]

slopokpete...you scored with lalessi1...look at his car when you get a chance...there are some pics around here of it. I want to go south on my next rambling so I can see it up close and personal. And he isn't far from me!

[59meteor]

I have a Toploader 4 speed in my 59 2 door sedan , as well as the original bench seat. I have a Hurst Super Shifter 3, which has a straight shift lever, and it clears the bench seat as long as I don`t have the seat all the way forward. But there were at least 3 different shifter locations used on Toploaders. My toploader was originally from a 1966 Fairlane, which  uses the shifter mounting position about 3"s further ahead of the location of a Mustang or Cougar. On the Mustang location, the rear shifter mounting holes are near the rear of the tailhousing, which I think would not allow the shifter to clear the bench seat. My tailhousing has provisions for both the Mustang and Fairlane locations, some only have one mounting provision, some have the mounting bosses for either, but may not be drilled and tapped for both. Can you post a photo of the shifter mounting holes of your tailhousing?

[lalessi1]

On my car I am using a Mustang Toploader (390), a specific Competition Plus, a specific adapter and a shift lever that clears the seat all the way forward and it clears my  underdash A/C. You have a few options depending on your tailshaft housing.

[slopokpete]

Thanks for your feed back.  According to Dave Kee, the tail housing that I have  (C6OR-7A040-C) is for 1966-68 Fairlane, Cyclone, Ranchero, Torino, 1966-69 Falcon and 1966-69 Mustang/Cougar.  There are only one set of shifting mounting bosses on the housing.

[lalessi1]

You have the same tail housing as mine. You are looking for a Hurst Competition Plus Shifter  PN 3915405. The adapter is a Ford part that will put the shifter in the correct location, D0ZA-7E045-E (below is an eBay link to one for sale), and shifter stick Hurst PN 538-6900 ( I am using shifter stick 538-7236 now it is shorter but it will hit the seat in the full forward posistion). There is another shifter that will work but the stick cannot be changed and the floor hole will have to be bigger and the shifter location is not as "handy". If you have questions PM me. I can get PN's for the rods if you can't find a kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153877992680?hash=item23d3d7d4e8:g:MjIAAOSwU~VefQIO

[slopokpete]

Thank you very much for your assistance!

[81TTA]

Rather than go through the hassle of chasing down a specific tail housing, I made a plate to move the shifter as far forward as I could.  I'll have to look to see if I have pictures.  But, it looks about like the e-bay version but "longer" so the plate could be mounted to the tail housing and the shifter could be mounted to the plate.  After that change, I had to shorten the shift rods by the same amount.

[Jeff Norwell]

I went through the same issue....... and with great help from Lynn(lalessi1) I had all the parts and info to make mine work(428/4 speed Top Loader)..... His assistance was incredible!

[SkylinerRon]

I originally had this problem on my 61 Starliner since it was in 1968 I had access to a lot of TL parts.

If you search this site you can find the page long instructions I posted months ago.

One other way would be to use a Hurst handle for a 57 chev with a benchseat. It is shaped like a giant  "C".

Goodluck,

Ron.